


Just Seven Words

by steviewho



Series: Immortal Rose [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, circular paradox
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 10:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12363516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steviewho/pseuds/steviewho
Summary: This is a bit of the episode Rose from the Doctor's perspective.Where did he go in those few seconds between Rose rejecting him and him coming back.He gets the push he needs to go back for her from an older and wiser Rose sent by 12 to talk to him.This is the Rose and 12 from my story Reunited. This is the Bad Wolf altered Rose who came back into this universe.





	Just Seven Words

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Reunited](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12335454) by [steviewho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/steviewho/pseuds/steviewho). 



He’s got the bomb ready to go, now he just has to find the best place for it for maximum damage. As close to the roof as he could get without alerting the Autons. He'd been walking around this shop for a couple hours waiting for it to finally close up while simultaneously trying to case the best place for the bomb and trying to shake the security guard following him. He was tall this time, very tall, so less inconspicuous in crowds.

It hadn’t been long since he regenerated. Luckily this one seemed to go smoothly, no memory loss or sickness. Although he could do with a bit of memory loss after what he had to do. He hadn't taken a proper look at himself yet, just regenerated and changed. He couldn't part with the leather jacket though, it was his armour. He needed to feel the heavy material around his shoulders, it was a grounding comfort and protection for him. Plus side of having a time machine that existed in all of space and time was he was able to find the newer version of the same jacket in the back of the wardrobe. He supposed he hadn't fully looked yet because he was afraid he would see too much of that man looking back at him. He didn’t want to think about that man and what he had done, while he wasn't the Doctor.

He couldn't wait to set the bomb, handle the Autons and find somewhere to have a good long solitary sulk. He could continue his tour of depressing times in history. He needed to be alone, he deserved to be alone so he couldn't hurt anyone else. His punishment was surviving, but he would be damned if he was going to hurt another person.

He froze when he heard someone yelling “Wilson”down the hall. He rolled his eyes at stupid ape wandering around. Guess he didn't do a thorough enough check, more proof he was too dangerous for people to be around. He jogged off to the direction of the girl's voice who now sounded more panicked.

He found her up against a wall, the autons having taken over the shop dummies, had her cornered. She clearly didn’t hear him approach. He reached over and grabbed her hand, she swung her around and met his eyes and time stopped. In that moment he could feel and see the answer to everything in her eyes. He felt a jolt of energy when they touched and an itch in the back of his head. Something kept saying yes, yes here she is. He told her to run and they took off down the hall together.

He didn't have to hold her hand as they ran, she was capable of keeping up, but he wasn't ready to give up that feeling of warmth surging through his body. He couldn't remember the last time he had been touched. His hearts were racing, and he knew it had very little to do with the exercise. There was a war going on his body and if he were still romantic and poetic, not this broken husk of a soldier, he would say it was his hearts yelling out for this girl and his brain telling him he didn't deserve her.

He chose to side with the brain and pushed her out the door, but couldn't resist one last look at this girl. If it were a different time and he were a different man he would have shown her the universe, but he knew what he was capable of now and had to keep her safe. He opened the door and introduced himself, and then told her to run for her life. He wasn't lying, it was nice to meet her. Very nice to meet her. He hadn't felt so much in a long time.

If he were truly lucky, he wouldn't survive this and it'll all be done.

He wasn't lucky, in fact he was decidedly unlucky. He now stood at Rose’s front door. Of course the universe would do this and make her a part of this. He should have known tracking the Auton would lead him to her. The arm had attacked her and he had an overwhelming need to protect her. The Auton was after him, she got sucked in the middle.

So he did what he does best and ran. He did not count on her following him. He needed to close off and think. She was making him feel too much. He played up the nonchalance, hoping she would get fed up and leave. She didn't, she teased him and walked incredibly close to him. Tortuously close. He struggled to not reach out and hold her several times.

She believed him when he said crazy things about wars and aliens. Instead of running off from an obvious nutter, she believed him and was calm about it. She just accepted it. She grabbed his elbow, she had so much concern in her eyes, so open and without guile. She asked who he was, so he told her, in a way. What he didn't tell her was when he held her hand, the world stopped spinning. He felt a calmness, a peacefulness he didn't deserve. So he ran again. Ran away from the possibility of happiness, but also ran away from the inevitable pain of losing her.

They met up again. Of course they did. She saved his life, and of course she did. She was amazing. There was something more about her. He didn't know exactly what it was, just more. He decided to take the hint from the universe and invite her along. She turned him down, he should have been relieved, it was what he wanted all this time. He was crushed.

He continued his depressing tour of history. Volcanos, Kennedy, the Titanic. And that was just on Earth.

He stood on the cliff overlooking the frozen waves of Woman Wept, wondering what Rose would have thought of it. Would she have walked out onto the water? He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to recapture that feeling of peace he had holding Rose Tyler’s hand. It didn’t work, in fact thinking about Rose Tyler made it worse.

He felt a pressure on his shoulder and someone took his hand. He knew who it was, because the world had stopped spinning.

“Didn't I leave you in alley with an idiot attached to your leg?” he kept his eyes closed and breathed her in.

“Hmm. Yeah you did. Didn't try very hard did you?”

He peaked open one eye and looked down at her. She was smiling up at him, her tongue poking out.

“You turned me down.”

“Yeah but I was 19 and had my entire world was shaken. You could have tried a little harder, wouldn't have take much more convincing.” She muttered something under her breath and counted on her fingers. “Seven more words to be exact. I always loved this place, I come here a lot. It centers me and holds some of my favorite memories. A moment in time when everything was perfect.” She rested her head on his shoulder again with a loud sigh. He was studying her now. She felt his eyes on her so she looked up at him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked into her eyes. They looked different. Older, not so open. These eyes, while still beautiful, were not as innocent.

“Seven more words huh? You really want to travel with me?”

“Of course, you're the most amazing man I've ever met.”

“But I'm a monster. Do you know what I did?”

“Yes. I do. You sacrificed some to save the entire universe. You're not a monster, and I like to think I helped you through these hard times. We need each other, you and I. Rose Tyler and the Doctor in the TARDIS as it should be.” She put her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. She had to get on her toes to reach his cheek.

“Do you stay with me?” he tilts his head towards the wedding ring on her hand. Asking a question he couldn't bare to actually say.

“Yes, for many years. We get separated a couple times but we always find a way back to each other.”

“Do I make you happy?”

“Exorbitantly and excessively happy.”

“Good.” He nodded. He turned so her arms around his shoulders were now around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Don't you want to know if I make you happy?” she smiled at him.

“I already know you do. So, how does it happen? Do we run into each other again?”

“You go back and say those seven words.”

“I don't deserve another chance.” He looked away, he couldn't stand to look at her and the love in her eyes anymore.

“Yes.You.Do. Go back and sweep me off my feet.” She kissed him gently in the lips. His eyes popped open for a moment before closing again and leaning into the contact.  
She pulled away when they heard a whistle from by a TARDIS. She didn't let go but turned her head to the noise.

He looked over her shoulder as well to find an older man throwing his hands up in frustration.  
“You said I kissed him!” she laughingly shouted to him.

“I said DON'T kiss him!” a frustrated Scottish accent hissed back at her.

“Oh! I must have misunderstood.” She giggled and turned back to the Doctor in her arms.

“Oh I'm sure you did Rose Tyler!” he shouted to her back and folded his arms.

“He's full of it, like I was going to see you again and not kiss you.”

“You stayed with me after I regenerated?”

“I've been through a couple. But this face here is the one I fell in love with.” She grabbed him by the ears and shook his face slightly. He chuckled at her and hugged her tightly against him.

“Thank you Rose.”

“Absolutely. It's my future too. Go be fantastic my Doctor.” She leaned in and kissed him again.

“Oi!” they heard from behind them. They both laughed. She took his hand and walked him to his own TARDIS. He poked back out the door to hear her yelling to his older self who looked incredibly cross. She stood where he left her with her hands on her hips.

“What paradox? For God's sa... Will you stop back seat Doctoring me? You said you don’t get to remember till later anyway!”

“Rose?” he interrupted their argument.”What do I say?”

“You told me it travelled in space, but was there something else you forgot to mention?” she gave him that smile that took over her entire face. He thought for a moment before the answer came to him, he returned her smile with his own maniac grin.

He lands the TARDIS and runs to the door, peeking his head out to find her right where he left her.

“Did I mention it travels in time?” and stepped aside because he knew she’d come in.


End file.
